A Light That Never Goes Out
by uchihasass
Summary: She has waited an eternity for this moment, for him to come back so she could catch a glimpse of the boy she once fell in love with. She sees him now, the one who called her annoying yet protected her with reckless abandon. She has imagined this moment a thousand different ways in the years he's been gone. In all of them, she was smiling. She can't bring herself to smile right now.
1. Prologue

Prologue

* * *

There are no tell tale noises that usually mark the intensive care unit to puncture the silence that permeates. No nurses shuffling around thoughtfully trying to drown the sound of their own footsteps, no medics scribbling hasty notes on rusty clipboards, no life support machines beeping the reminder that they're hard at work, tenaciously holding on to the fringes of those who are almost certainly already gone. There is nothing.

Nothing, but her and him.

The lights on the whole floor has been dimmed. It is night time and the sick aren't the only ones supposed to be asleep right now. But sleep is the last thing on both their minds, even though it's been far too long since they last acquainted themselves with a soft bed.

They stand facing each other, on either side of the corridor. They don't speak, they don't even look at each other. He is leaning against the wall, his head upturned and swirling red eyes memorizing the grainy texture of the white ceiling. She carries her own weight, shoulders hunched and eyes downcast with nightmares that are threatening to claw their way into reality. With each passing second, they are ever aware of one another, but they let the emptiness between them stretch. Words somehow fall short of encompassing the breadth of what they have to say, so they just don't say anything. It's especially hard, because the only person who would not let a wound this old keep festering lies inside fighting for his life. Knowing Naruto, they know he's putting up a vicious fight. They also know some opponents are unbeatable, and sometimes the fight goes on until you give in.

The silence persists, mocking them. She thinks back to how when they were genin all she wanted when she was around Naruto was silence, some peace so she could slide over to where their other teammate would be sulking and ask him about his day. She wants to laugh, because the boy literally did not know when to shut up. She wants to laugh, but she cries. The thought of never again seeing him in that ridiculous orange jumpsuit of his, of not ever hearing his loud annoying voice going on and on about some nonsense or another is making her sick to the stomach.

The last words he said before he collapsed into a pile of blood and bones keeps ringing in her ears.

"You better not run now, bastard."

The bastard had indeed looked about ready to run right then. The thud of Naruto's body hitting the ground had been the only thing that made him turn and look, the only thing that made him stay. She actually chuckles a bit at the thought now. Naruto always did have a funny way of accomplishing things.

"He's going to be alright, you know." He says, still stoically considering the ceiling with his sharingan.

"It's Naruto." He adds, and it's almost only a whisper. "He's going to be fine."

She wants to believe him, but her faith has been burnt one too many times in the last twenty-four hours. More tears start prickling her eyes as she thinks of her beloved shishou. She watched her master heal an entire war-struck village, she watched her as she defied the science of human anatomy and survived every possible wound administered to her, but in the end even the last great sannin withered away. Tsunade gave in, after scattering every last bit of chakra left in her body onto the wailing battlefield. The one she thought invincible, the one she used to look at in sheer wonder, hoping against hope that she would one day be able to harness even a fraction of the skills the greatest kuniochi Konoha has ever known possessed, the one who taught her most of everything she knew. Being strong does not grant anyone a pass from death, even the strongest die in battle and that is precisely what she fears for the boy they are waiting on currently.

"Sakura."

She is so startled by her name on his lips that she only belatedly realizes he is looking right at her. She wipes the tear stains on her cheeks with the back of her hand and blinks back more tears that are threatening to spill over.

"Naruto's going to be okay." He says again, with more conviction this time. "Don't… don't cry."

She stares at him, mouth hanging open. She has waited an eternity for this moment, for him to come back and stand in front of her so she could catch a glimpse of the sulky little boy she once fell in love with. She sees him now, the same boy who called her annoying yet protected her with reckless abandon numerous times. She has imagined this moment a thousand different ways in the years he's been gone. In all of them, she was smiling. She cannot bring herself to smile right now. She doesn't believe his words and the restraint she had somehow managed thus far, suddenly snaps. She falls to her feet, sobbing hysterically.

He's by her side, on his knees, before she realizes he's not standing in front of her anymore. His hands are on her shoulder, and somehow this is the most comforted she's felt in a really long time. He doesn't do anything with his hands but let them rest on her shoulders, she doesn't lean into his arms, she is good where she is. He doesn't say anything more, he just anchors her as she cries and imagines the world without her best friend, her brother.

* * *

tbc

reviews are much appreciated.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

* * *

Sasuke stared at the diamond seal on her forehead, transfixed by it. She was asleep on a chair next to Naruto's bed, her head nested by his pale hand. The slightest shift of her body prompted her seal to change colors under the rays of the warm morning sunlight. It was violet, then it wasn't, it was red, then it wasn't, it was somewhere between the pink of her hair and the green of her eyes, then it wasn't. One thing it was for certain, he thought, was fascinating. It was evidence of the fact that Sakura had successfully tapped into the well of potential he always knew she possessed. But glorious as it looked, it also made a stranger out of her. He couldn't find the twelve-year-old weeping girl he left behind on a cold, stone bench all those years ago when he looked at her now. Even as she had fallen apart in his arms the night before, something about her had spelled true grit and resilience, not frailty. His thoughts took him back to the battlefield, where he had seen her form a barricade against a storm of shrapnel flying their way by splitting open the earth with her bare hands. Frail, indeed, was the last thing he thought of when he looked at her now.

He turned his gaze to Naruto, lying still as a mannequin on the bed. He looked calm in his slumber, like an angel of serenity might have kissed the creases on his forehead away. It was quite a jarring sight to behold, because it wasn't Naruto. Naruto was fire and smoke, an infuriating concoction of warmth and wrath, which roared in defiance at the smallest gush of wind. He was a walking talking nuisance, not some twisted caricature of tranquility.

The silence that his obnoxious voice left behind was equally unsettling. Sasuke had had a long, uncomfortable history with silence. He'd been plagued by it for the longest time after he moved out of the Uchiha compound. Plagued, because it had felt like a sickness at the time, a cruel glitch in his system. He remembered how his eyes would always snap open before his alarm went off in the mornings, and how he would lay still in his bed waiting for the angry screech of Okaasan's tea kettle to go off in the kitchen, or the rustling of Otousan sifting through _Konoha Daily_ in the dining room, or the swishing of Niisan tying his shoe laces up by the front door. He waited until he couldn't anymore, until he would have to force his body to get up and start getting ready for academy, until he'd have to switch the pair of over eager ears he was wearing with a pair of deaf ones so he didn't have to hear anyone who wasn't Okaasan, or Otousan, or Niisan.

Naruto always had been immune to his deaf ears, or rather his deaf ears had been immune to Naruto. It never was a sign of fondness or familiarity that did it. It was aggravating persistence. Naruto wouldn't shut up, until his words were acknowledged. Sasuke always imagined silence around Naruto would feel gratifying in some way. As he continued to look at his unconscious form, he realized it didn't.

Sakura let out a soft, almost indiscernible whimper, and his head whipped in her direction. He expected to see her up, wiping tears from her eyes with the back of her hand again, but she was still asleep. Brows furrowed, lips quivering, she was having a nightmare. He thought about waking her up, but immediately decided against it. He knew from personal experience that the worst thing about nightmares was waking up and realizing you were living them.

Her seal was green now. He mentally traced the lines her seal had formed across her face upon release. Sprouting from the center of her forehead, up to her hairline, and down her cheeks. It had been a manifestation of her growth, a welcome declaration of her strength at a critical point in battle. Far removed from the threat of mass peril, he now remembered that it had stirred something in him, seeing her like that. He was quick to dismiss any feeling of pride. No, he wasn't proud of Sakura, because that would imply he had something to do with the strength she wielded. He had just been surprised, pleasantly so.

Sasuke looked at the two strangers in front of him one last time and decided they would be fine. He was starting to realize that they weren't as hopeless as he'd once thought. He soundlessly made his way out the sliding door and nodded at the four ANBU guards who'd been waiting for him. They didn't say anything. He started taking sure steps toward the stairways, and the ANBU troop followed him.

* * *

Kakashi hated it ten times more than he thought he would. It was an endless barrage of paperwork, one thing after another. There were moments when he couldn't even make sense of the the inked words in front of him. These moments were few and far between the first day, and he nonchalantly brushed them off as one of the many signs of exhaustion he was experiencing. But today he'd had more instances of official documents looking like ants crawling down invisible pathways than not. That is how he knew he wasn't cut out for the job. He had always had his doubts before, of course. He'd been the only kid in his academy class who did not want to grow up to be Hokage. It was funny how these things worked out.

There was a slight rapping on the door and without waiting for his permission in walked Shizune. She held a loosely rolled scroll in her hands, probably a message from the Kazekage from the look of the Suna seal he caught.

"The Kazekage wants an update on Naruto's condition. He's dispatched a team of sealing experts to Konoha to see if they can help. They should reach the Fire Country border tomorrow morning."

Kakashi sighed. "Write him back saying he still hasn't gained consciousness, but his vitals remain stable and unchanged."

Shizune nodded, solemnly.

"Make sure someone is at the gates to greet the Suna team when they arrive. Send an attending medic so they can be briefed on their way to the hospital."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," She said. "Have you had a chance to review the Iwa Peace Treaty yet?"

"Yes, I am reading it right now," Kakashi said, eyeing the lengthy scroll in front of him. "It's taking longer than I expected. It's not exactly the type of reading I'm used to, you know." He chuckled awkwardly, hoping to lighten the atmosphere up a bit.

Shizune offered a curt smile, and said, "It's important you finish reviewing it by sundown. We need to send them any changes we recommend as soon as possible."

"Ah, yes, I understand." Kakashi cleared his throat and straightened his back. "It'll be done by sundown. I'm almost finished, really."

She smiled again and turned to leave. Kakashi's back gave out in a tired slump as soon as she looked away, but the moment she was out the door he felt a familiar chakra right outside his office. His back stiffened once again.

"Ah, Sasuke. Hokage-sama has been waiting for you all morning," He heard Shizune say, from the hallway. "How is Naruto doing?"

"He's not dead yet," Sasuke said, and Kakashi almost felt a morbid smile crawl up his lips. It was a strange feeling having Sasuke back in Konoha. In some ways, the boy hadn't changed a bit, but in other ways he was a complete stranger.

He didn't hear Shizune again. He imagined she must've been a little tongue tied at Sasuke's response. Not everyone was used to his sardonic temperament after all.

Sasuke walked in through the door without knocking. He was flanked by the four ANBU guards he'd sent to the hospital this morning to fetch him. Kakashi nodded at the four men and they disappeared in a huff of smoke as soon as they'd stepped into his room.

"Close the door, Sasuke."

Sasuke obliged mutely. Kakashi knew he hadn't slept a wink since the end of the war, but he looked as alert as ever.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Kakashi said, pointing towards one of the chairs in front of his desk.

Sasuke walked further into the room, surveying the pictures that hung on the wall. All the previous Hokages met his eyes proudly, the ones who'd protected the village with their lives looking onto the boy who'd damn well come very close to destroying everything they'd worked for.

"Take a seat, Sasuke." Kakashi said again, a bit more sternly this time.

Sasuke's wandering eyes finally fell on Kakashi. He walked over to the chair Kakashi had pointed towards earlier and sat down, carefully minding the katana that hung from his waist.

Kakashi let out a long breath and pushed the pile of documents crowding his desk to create room for his elbows. "I guess a good place to start would be, why did you come back?"

"I have unfinished business in Konoha." Sasuke said, his facial expression a constant.

Kakashi was surprised it didn't take more to wring words out of his former student, but he spoke again, without letting his surprise show. "That sounds awfully ominous coming from someone who once swore to destroy the village."

"I have no intention of bringing harm to Konoha anymore."

Kakashi had guessed as much. If Sasuke was still bent on avenging his clan by way of annihilating the village, he would not be sitting in front of him right now.

"What is this unfinished business you speak of then?"

"That is none of your business, Kakashi."

"Well, you see, I am the Hokage now… for better or worse," Kakashi couldn't help but mumble the last part. "Any unfinished business you have with the village is precisely my business."

Sasuke didn't say anything, but continued to boldly hold Kakashi's one-eyed stare.

"You cannot just come back to the village and pick up where you left off, Sasuke. That is not how things work."

"If you think I want to pick up where I left off, you are a bigger fool than I ever gave you credit for." Sasuke finally said, a smug smile dancing around the corners of his lips.

Sasuke's words didn't sting. For some imperceptible reason, Kakashi had always been impervious to his cold demeanor. Perhaps it was because he wasn't the warmest person himself. Or maybe because he had once thought he understood the darkness that threatened to clench Sasuke's heart. He could take anything the kid threw at him normally, but he was slowly running out of time and patience. Shizune was going to be back soon to check on his progress with the Iwa Treaty. The Daimyo wanted to put Sasuke on trial as soon as possible. He didn't have the luxury to beat around the bush anymore.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke?" He asked again, hoping his harsh tone did enough to mask the inherent fondness he still felt for the boy.

Sasuke dropped his smug smile, and spoke slowly, as if he didn't trust Kakashi to follow his words. "You asked me what my goal was the day we met. My goal has since changed. I am here to accomplish my new goal."

"And what might your new goal be?" Kakashi asked, without missing a beat.

"I want to clear my brother's name," Sasuke said.

"Noble as that thought is, I think you are forgetting about the particular predicament you find yourself in. You are an international criminal, Sasuke. The fact that you and Naruto defeated Kaguya and definitively ended the war will be kept in mind when you go on trial. But one criminal cannot exonerate another."

Kakashi knew he was gonna hit a nerve with this. Sasuke visibly stiffened in his chair and his eyes darkened. The air in the Hokage office suddenly turned sinister as Sasuke's chakra flared.

"Itachi was not a criminal," He said, each word dripping with thinly masked contempt.

"I know he wasn't, and we might one day be able to bring that to the public light. But for now, there are things you need to take care of before you can even come close to accomplishing your new goal."

Sasuke didn't say anything. His momentary chakra spike had disappeared as abruptly as it had appeared, relieving the room of some tension.

Kakashi heaved a tired sigh, and spoke, "Contrary to what you think, Sasuke, I am not fool enough to believe you are telling me the complete truth right now."

"I will do anything it takes to clear Itachi's name."

Kakashi would have thought it was a threat, but Sasuke was not looking at him anymore. He had his head slightly bowed, eyes trained on the ground. He expected to be met with defiance, but he was startled to see that it was an unspoken plea.

"And we shall make that happen in due time." Kakashi felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility rush through his being as soon as he let those words out. Without taking too long to think about it, he continued, "In the meantime, you will have to go on trial for your crimes and prove that your loyalties lie with Konoha."

"My loyalties will lie with the one who helps me clear my brother's name."

"Fair enough," Kakashi said, and summoned the ANBU guards who'd previously escorted Sasuke to his office. They appeared instantaneously in front of him and bowed in unison.

"Please escort Sasuke to the Interrogation Division. Ibiki will be there to receive him." Kakashi spoke to the ANBU guards, and continued, looking at Sasuke now, "You are expected to cooperate with the war investigations. We'll speak again soon, Sasuke."

Sasuke didn't say or do anything to acknowledge his words. He simply got up and started walking out the door, the four ANBU guards closely following his trail. Kakashi watched his retreating form, his eye narrowing in on the Uchiha crest printed upon the back of Sasuke's shirt.

* * *

Sakura sprang awake from her nightmare in a cold sweat. The room was flooded with light, and she had to squint to let her eyes readjust. As soon as her vision focused, she realized that the room was empty save for Naruto, who still lay unconscious in his bed. Her first thought was that her nightmare had come true, _Sasuke had abandoned them again_. She was quick to dismiss the thought before she truly started panicking though. He had probably been escorted to see Kakashi-sensei. It was very generous of him to have granted Sasuke a day by Naruto's side, but even a Hokage couldn't delay taking an international criminal into custody for too long. She let herself ponder upon the question which had been bugging her ever since they'd rushed Naruto to the hospital. Would Sasuke have run if not for Naruto collapsing at the end of their battle with Kaguya? Because she was so sure she'd seen him turn his back to them, like he'd been ready to leave without so much as a goodbye like all those years ago.

She belatedly realized that she had drool lining the corners of her mouth. She pulled the end of her sleeve to wipe it away, and turned to look at Naruto. He looked exactly as he had before she'd unwittingly let sleep consume her body. If Sakura had never seen Naruto sleep, she would have thought that was exactly what he was doing. Just sleeping after a long, hard war to get his wits together, to recuperate some and wake up to the loud cheering of the whole village who undoubtedly loved him with no reservations at this point. But she'd shared one too many extended missions with him to know better. No one could miss the peculiar way in which he always fell asleep in his bed roll, but woke up at least five meters away snuggled with the trunk of a tree or perhaps a log of half burnt wood. He lay on his bed now, not with his limbs sprawled in every which direction, but in a straight, painfully rigid position.

"Naruto…" She said, voice tired and desperate. The cardio monitor connected to his chest showed that his heart beat was stable and well within the normal range. She lightly took his hand in hers and noticed how comfortably warm it was. "He's back, Naruto. Sasuke-kun is back, and you should be awake, celebrating with me right now."

She willed herself to not shed a single tear this time. She'd cried enough. She'd cried for Sasuke, for her shishou, and now for Naruto.

"You idiot." She was so dangerously close to breaking again. "I will seriously punch you so hard if you die. Please… don't die. Please."

She blinked back the tears that had predictably materialized in her eyes. She furiously told herself to get a grip and tightened the hold she had on his hand.

"You are not going to die, you hear me? I will save your ass from whatever it is that has you right now, I will beat it and you will come home to me and Sasuke-kun, you hear me, Naruto? I promise he'll be here when you wake up."

She wasn't sure if it was the despair getting the best of her or what, but she had a sinking feeling that she wasn't going to be able to keep her promise. And that is when her tears defiantly fell.

* * *

tbc

reviews are love.


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